Abstract: A suturing kit includes a suture and a suture holder for holding the suture. The suture has a first end and a second, opposite, end. The suture holder includes an elongated wall defining a suture receiving passage that is elongated along a longitudinal axis and terminates at a suture exit opening. The suture receiving passage has a width at least twice the diameter of the suture and receives the suture such that the suture is folded over forming a half loop section spaced from the suture exit opening. A first second of the suture extends from the half loop section toward the first end and a second section of the suture extends from the half loop section towards the second end. The first section and the second section of the suture within the suture receiving passage are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A suturing device includes a curved needle, a suture, an elongate body, an actuator and a curved needle holder. The suture connects with the curved needle. The actuator interacts with the elongate body and is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The curved needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The curved needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip. The curved needle holder includes an inner surface defining a needle passage for holding the needle and a distal opening. The curved needle has a curved needle radius and the curved needle passage has a curved needle passage radius that is different than the curved needle radius and the curved needle frictionally engages the inner surface when the needle is in a retracted position.

Abstract: A suturing device includes a curved needle, a suture, an elongate body, an actuator and a curved needle holder. The suture connects with the curved needle. The actuator interacts with the elongate body and is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The curved needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The curved needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip. The curved needle holder includes an inner surface defining a needle passage for holding the needle and a distal opening. The curved needle has a curved needle radius and the curved needle passage has a curved needle passage radius that is different than the curved needle radius and the curved needle frictionally engages the inner surface when the needle is in a retracted position.

Abstract: A suturing device includes a curved needle, a suture, an elongate body, an actuator and a curved needle holder. The suture connects with the curved needle. The actuator interacts with the elongate body and is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The curved needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The curved needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip. The curved needle holder includes an inner surface defining a needle passage for holding the needle and a distal opening. The curved needle has a curved needle radius and the curved needle passage has a curved needle passage radius that is different than the curved needle radius and the curved needle frictionally engages the inner surface when the needle is in a retracted position.

Abstract: A suturing device includes an elongate body, an actuator, and a curved needle holder. The elongate body includes a distal end portion extending along a longitudinal axis. The actuator is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The curved needle holder extends away from the distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The curved needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip, and defines a curved needle passage and a distal opening adjacent the distal-most tip. A distance measured parallel with the longitudinal axis between where the curved needle holder begins to curve away from the longitudinal axis to either where the elongate body begins to curve away from the longitudinal axis or where the elongate body connects with a handle can be between about 10 cm to about 20 cm.

Abstract: A suturing kit includes a double-armed suture, at least one suturing device and a suture holding structure. The double-armed suture has a first needle at a first end and a second needle at a second, opposite, end. The at least one suturing device includes a first needle holder configured to receive the first needle in a retracted position, a second needle holder configured to receive the second needle in a retracted position and at least one actuator configured to drive the first needle or the second needle in an advance direction toward a released condition. The suture holding structure holds at least a portion of the suture between the first end and the second end, and the suture holding structure is separate from the at least one suturing device so as not to be inserted into the patient during the surgical procedure.

Abstract: A suturing device includes a needle, a suture, an elongate body, an actuator and a needle holder. The suture connects with the needle. The needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip, and defines a needle passage for holding the needle and a distal opening. At least a portion of the suture extends through the distal opening when the needle is received in the needle passage and the actuator is in a first operating position. At least a portion of the suture extends along the needle passage toward the distal opening between the needle and an inner surface of the needle holder when the needle is received in the needle passage and the actuator is in the first operating position.

Abstract: A suturing kit includes a suture and a suture holder for holding the suture. The suture has a first end and a second, opposite, end. The suture holder includes an elongated wall defining a suture receiving passage that is elongated along a longitudinal axis and terminates at a suture exit opening. The suture receiving passage has a width at least twice the diameter of the suture and receives the suture such that the suture is folded over forming a half loop section spaced from the suture exit opening. A first second of the suture extends from the half loop section toward the first end and a second section of the suture extends from the half loop section towards the second end. The first section and the second section of the suture within the suture receiving passage are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A suturing device includes a curved needle, a suture, an elongate body, an actuator and a curved needle holder. The suture connects with the curved needle. The actuator is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The curved needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The curved needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip. The curved needle holder defines a curved needle passage and a distal opening. Movement of the actuator from the first operating position toward the second operating position moves the curved needle with respect to the curved needle holder toward a released condition. The distal end section is configured to allow the curved needle to release from the curved needle holder at a location offset from the distal-most tip.

Abstract: A suturing device includes an elongate body, a needle holder, an actuator, a needle and a needle retainer. The needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip, and defines a needle passage and a distal opening adjacent the distal-most tip. The actuator is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. Movement of the actuator from the first operating position toward the second operating position moves the needle in an advance direction. The needle is in the needle passage. The needle retainer engages the needle holder and the needle when the actuator is in the first operating position and inhibits movement of the needle toward distal opening while the actuator is in the first operating position.

Abstract: A suturing device includes an elongate body, an actuator, a needle holder and a knot pusher. The elongate body includes a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The actuator interacts with the elongate body and is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The needle holder extends away from the distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body, and includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip. The needle holder defines a needle passage and a distal opening adjacent the distal-most tip. The knot pusher connects with and extends away from at least one of the elongate body and the needle holder.

Abstract: A suturing kit includes a suture and a suture holder for holding the suture. The suture has a first end and a second, opposite, end. The suture holder includes an elongated wall defining a suture receiving passage that is elongated along a longitudinal axis and terminates at a suture exit opening. The suture receiving passage has a width at least twice the diameter of the suture and receives the suture such that the suture is folded over forming a half loop section spaced from the suture exit opening. A first second of the suture extends from the half loop section toward the first end and a second section of the suture extends from the half loop section towards the second end. The first section and the second section of the suture within the suture receiving passage are aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a handle, a cartridge configured to removably couple to the handle, an actuator movably coupled to the handle, and a lock operably coupled to the actuator. A first needle assembly and a second needle assembly of the cartridge are operably coupled to a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion, respectively, of the actuator when the cartridge is coupled to the handle. The first coupling portion is configured to transition the first needle assembly from a first configuration to a second configuration such that a first capture portion engages a first needle. The second coupling portion is configured to transition the second needle assembly from a first configuration to a second configuration such that a second capture portion engages the second needle. The lock is configured to selectively limit movement of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion.

Abstract: A suturing device includes an elongate body, a needle holder, an actuator, a needle and a needle retainer. The needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip, and defines a needle passage and a distal opening adjacent the distal-most tip. The actuator is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. Movement of the actuator from the first operating position toward the second operating position moves the needle in an advance direction. The needle is in the needle passage. The needle retainer engages the needle holder and the needle when the actuator is in the first operating position and inhibits movement of the needle toward distal opening while the actuator is in the first operating position.

Abstract: A suturing device include a handle, an elongate body, an actuator, and a needle holder. The elongate body connects with the handle. The actuator interacts with the elongate body and is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The actuator includes a manually operated member including an operator contact surface. The needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip and defining a needle passage and a distal opening adjacent the distal-most tip. The needle passage is configured to receive at least a portion of an associated needle when the actuator is in the first operating position. The needle holder and the elongate body are rotatable with respect to the handle about a rotational axis.

Abstract: A suturing device includes a needle, a suture, an elongate body, an actuator and a curved needle holder. The needle has first end, which is pointed, a second end, a curved distal section and a straighter proximal section, which is straight or has a radius of curvature greater than the curved distal section. The suture connects with the needle. The actuator includes a mechanism operable to move the needle with respect to the elongate body. The curved needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The curved needle holder includes an inner surface defining a curved needle passage for holding the needle and a distal opening through which the needle exits the curved needle holder. The needle frictionally engages the inner surface when the needle is in a retracted position.

Abstract: A suturing device includes an elongate body, an actuator, a needle holder and a stabilizer. The elongate body includes a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The actuator interacts with the elongate body and is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The needle holder extends away from the distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The needle holder defines a needle passage and a distal opening. The stabilizer connects with the elongate body and is configured to engage an upper edge of an associated tubular retractor so as to limit movement of the elongate body with respect to the associated tubular retractor when the stabilizer is engaged with the tubular retractor.

Abstract: A suturing device includes an elongate body, a needle, an actuator, and a needle holder. The actuator interacts with the elongate body and is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The actuator is configured such that movement of the actuator from the first operating position toward the second operating position moves the needle in an advance direction. The needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The needle holder defines a needle passage and a distal opening. The needle is positioned in the needle passage when the actuator is in the first operating position. The needle holder is configured to move with respect to the elongate body to change the location of the distal opening with respect to the elongate body.

Abstract: A suturing device includes an elongate body, a needle holder, a needle actuator mechanism, and a needle capture mechanism. The needle holder extends away from or is provided as part of a distal end portion of the elongate body. The needle holder defines a needle passage and a distal opening. The needle actuator interacts with a needle to move the needle from a retracted position toward the distal opening. The needle capture mechanism includes a needle capture member having a needle receiving portion. The needle receiving portion is capable of being positioned adjacent to and aligned with the distal opening in the needle holder to receive the associated needle exiting the needle passage through the distal opening and the needle receiving portion is capable of being offset from the distal opening so as to receive tissue between the needle capture member and the needle holder.

Abstract: A suturing device includes an elongate body, a needle holder, and an actuator. The needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The needle holder defines a needle passage configured to hold an associated needle. The actuator is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position, and is configured such that movement from the first operating position toward the second operating position moves the associated needle in an advance direction. The actuator includes a manually operated member and a biasing mechanism biasing the actuator toward the second operating position. The manually operated member is operatively connected with the biasing mechanism so as to preclude the biasing mechanism from moving the actuator toward the second operating position until after the manually operated member has been moved from a non-actuated position toward an actuated position.